Amazing sunset. Ideal picture opportunity

Last night I was walking home after a couple of post work drinks and couldn't help but notice the most awesome sunset. Of course I didn't have a camera with me at the time...that is until I remembered my trusty HTC Hero. I only got it recently and other than the occasional pub shot, never really used the camera, probably because I don't like cameraphones that much.

Better than nothing, I opened the digital camera app and clicked at the sky, and I have to say I was quite impressed with the results.

I remember the sky was a little more red, but the colour range displayed in the image is quite striking and makes for an atmospheric sky, with the silhouette of the houses below.

Maybe these cameraphones aren't so bad after all....

A Beginners guide to focal length, or camera zoom lenses.

Cameras – to zoom or not to zoom

Cameras come in all shapes and sizes, some zoom some don’t – but there seems to be a misconception that a zoom is just for one thing “getting closer to the action”, it’s not. Using the right zoom lens can dramatically change the picture, but first I think I need to just touch on a few terms

Explanation of a few terms…
A ‘zoom’ lens is a lens which can change its focal length, focal length (to put it simply) is how much it magnifies the image – if you “zoom in” you increase the focal length, “zoom out” decreases it, a wide angle has a low focal length and a telephoto has a high focal length.

So why is focal length important, and why did professionals prefer not to have zoom lenses?
Zoom lenses aren’t favoured by professionals too much, instead they prefer having a few “prime lenses” which don’t zoom – they typically are better quality and have higher “aperture”, but for most of us taking half multiple lenses with us isn’t really an option, and the quality of budget optics is often ‘up to the task’.

Focal length impacts on “depth of field” and also how dynamic an image is.
Longer focal lengths = less in focus (only the point you focus in will be sharp)
Shorter focal lengths = more in focus and more dynamic (3 dimensional) the image seems

It is also common for shorter focal lengths to distort the edges of an image, giving a curved and almost stretched effect. This isn’t usually noticeable if you’re going for a large panoramic skyline or street view, but can provide unwelcome changes to a close up subject.

Because of this, portraits typically look better with longer focal lengths, particularly if your subject has an unusually big nose, and landscapes look better with wider (smaller) focal lengths.

So for most people they want a zoom range, not just to get a bit closer to the action but also to impact the look of the photo itself, this is something a digital zoom or a touch up afterwards in Photoshop isn’t truly able to do.

So what do the numbers mean
There are two numbers that are used when describing lenses, and these seem to vary according to who is talking about it and the nature of the camera, it needs to be noted that the numbers will change according to the format, and digital and “film” cameras numbers aren’t quite the same.

Focal Length
24 or less = extreme wide, down to “fish eye”
28 – 35 = wide angle
35 = 70 = “standard” focal length
70+ = telephoto

3 X or some other number X zoom
Found when describing the majority of compact, or fixed lens cameras for the average consumer market, this is a measurement of how many times you can zoom in – a camera or lens that can zoom in from 20 to 100 would be a 5x zoom (5x20=100) common numbers at the moment are 3x, 5x all the way up to 12x zoom (sometimes even more). The bigger the number, the more you can probably zoom in.

It has to be stated that anything over than 12, is frankly a lot and you may find the quality of the camera is questionable at this point, it’s also wise if you do have a “long zoom” to make sure that you use it with good light or a suitable tripod / support.

Written by Gerry White

Making Digital Photography cheaper for your DSLR

Wow it’s been a busy couple of weeks at work, so apologies for being away. It seems a lot has been happening in the digital camera world too, with the Canon 7D digital SLR being the hot pre-order topic. A quick look at the specs show it to look like a fast little machine, but unlike its older brother the Canon 5D mark 2, it doesn’t feature a full frame sensor, settling instead for an APS-C, (about half the size). More on that when we get a chance to look into it properly though.

My big news from the week has to be the rediscovery of old m42 Pentax screw fit lenses. My supplier at Hilton photographic in Hull managed to get an adapter for my Samsung GX10 that allows you to fit the old style lenses and simply change any settings manually. Of course this means a little playing around to get use to it and I’ll be sure to post some results once we’ve had some better weather.

The GX10 DSLR, like the Pentax K10, allows you select on the camera body whether to use auto focus settings or manual, so it’s perfect for using these old lenses. Of course the other advantage is cost. Sure the screw fit lenses may not be as practical as their newer alternatives, but with a decent entry level macro lens from Sigma, or Tamron, costing several hundred pounds, being able to jump on Ebay and find the screw equivalent for around £50 is a bargain. Ideal for those situations where you might want to try a new kind of digital photography without the expense.